Method for matching multiple devices, device for enabling matching thereof and server system

ABSTRACT

A method for matching a plurality of devices includes determining, from a perspective of a first device, characteristic information on a motion of the first device, determining, from a perspective of a second device, second characteristic information distinct from the first characteristic information and related to the motion of the first device, and matching the first device and the second device based on the first characteristic information and the second characteristic information. The second characteristic information includes information on at least one of the motion of the first device captured by the second device, an input made to the second device associated with the motion of the first device, an operation performed on the second device associated with the motion of the first device, and a location change of the first device caused by the motion of the first device.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/402,479, filed on Jan. 10, 2017, which is acontinuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/805,187,filed on Jul. 21, 2015, which is a continuation-in-part application ofPatent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) international application Serial No.PCT/KR2014/003979, filed on May 2, 2014 and which designates the UnitedStates, which claims priority to Korean Patent Application Serial No.10-2013-0049279, filed on May 2, 2013, the entirety contents of whichare hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a method for matching multipledevices, and a device and a server system for enabling the matchingthereof.

BACKGROUND

The statements in this section merely provide background informationrelated to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.

Recently, mobile smart devices having various communication and sensingcapabilities and powerful computing capabilities, such as smart phonesand smart pads, are being widely used. Among such mobile smart devices,there are relatively small-sized ones that may be worn and carried on abody of a user (e.g., a smart glass, a smart watch, a smart band, asmart device in the form of a ring or a brooch, a smart device directlyattached to or embedded in a body or a garment, etc.)

In this situation, a user may desire to perform a task using two or more(different kinds of) smart devices of the user, or may desire a task tobe performed in which smart devices of the user and another user arerequired to be involved together. However, this (latent) intention ofthe user could not have been properly supported in prior art.

SUMMARY

One object of the present disclosure is to fully solve the above problemin prior art.

Another object of the disclosure is to provide a novel technique formatching multiple devices.

Yet another object of the disclosure is to allow the matching ofmultiple devices to enable the realization of applied techniques.

According to one aspect of the disclosure to achieve the objects asdescribed above, there is provided a matching method comprising thesteps of: determining, from a perspective of a first device,characteristic information on a motion of the first device, anddetermining, from a perspective of a second device, characteristicinformation on at least one of the motion of the first device, an inputto the second device according to the motion of the first device, anoperation on the second device according to the motion of the firstdevice, and a location change of the first device caused by the motionof the first device; and matching the first device and the second deviceon the basis of the characteristic information determined from theperspective of the first device and the characteristic informationdetermined from the perspective of the second device.

In addition, there are further provided other methods and devices toimplement the disclosure.

According to the disclosure, a novel technique for matching multipledevices is provided.

According to the disclosure, the matching of multiple devices enablesthe realization of applied techniques.

Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the descriptionprovided herein. It should be understood that the description andspecific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and arenot intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the disclosure may be well understood, there will now bedescribed various forms thereof, given by way of example, referencebeing made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an entiresystem for matching multiple devices according to one embodiment of thedisclosure.

FIG. 2 is a reference view of one test example in which singular pointsare calculated when a specific signature is inputted to a second device.

FIG. 3 is a reference view of one test example in which singular pointsare calculated when a specific pattern is inputted to the second device.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the main steps of a matching methodaccording to one embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a matchingsystem according to one embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 6A is a schematic diagram showing the configurations of a deviceaccording to one embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 6B is a schematic diagrams showing the configurations of a deviceaccording to one embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a reference view showing that a user wearing a first device ona left wrist touches a second device held in a left hand with a righthand, according to one embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a reference view showing a situation in which a user of afirst device performs a touch action for a web browser running on asecond device so as to conveniently login to a portal site displayed inthe web browser, according to one embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a reference view showing that two first devices arerespectively matched with a second device according to one embodiment ofthe disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description of the present disclosure,references are made to the accompanying drawings that show, by way ofillustration, specific embodiments in which the disclosure may bepracticed. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail toenable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure. It is to beunderstood that the various embodiments of the disclosure, althoughdifferent from each other, are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Forexample, specific shapes, structures and characteristics describedherein may be implemented as modified from one embodiment to anotherwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed subjectmatter. Furthermore, it shall be understood that the locations orarrangements of individual elements within each of the embodiments mayalso be modified without departing from the spirit and scope of theclaimed subject matter. Therefore, the following detailed description isnot to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the claimedsubject matter is to be taken as encompassing the scope of the appendedclaims and all equivalents thereof. In the drawings, like referencenumerals refer to the same or similar elements throughout the severalviews.

Hereinafter, various preferred embodiments of the present disclosurewill be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawingsto enable those skilled in the art to easily implement the disclosure.

Configuration of an Entire System

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an entiresystem for matching multiple devices according to one embodiment of thedisclosure.

As shown in FIG. 1, the entire system according to one embodiment of thedisclosure may comprise a communication network 100, a matching system200, and multiple devices 310, 320.

First, the communication network 100 according to one embodiment of thedisclosure may be implemented regardless of communication modality suchas wired and wireless communications, and may be constructed from avariety of communication networks such as local area networks (LANs),metropolitan area networks (MANs), and wide area networks (WANs).Preferably, the communication network 100 described herein may be theInternet or the World Wide Web (WWW). However, the communication network100 is not necessarily limited thereto, and may at least partiallyinclude known wired/wireless data communication networks, knowntelephone networks, or known wired/wireless television communicationnetworks.

Next, the matching system 200 according to one embodiment of thedisclosure may be digital equipment having a memory means and amicroprocessor for computing capabilities. The matching system 200 maybe a server system.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the matchingsystem according to one embodiment of the disclosure. As shown in FIG.5, the matching system 200 may comprise a matching unit 210, a storage230, a communication unit 240, and a control unit 250. According to oneembodiment of the disclosure, at least some of the matching unit 210,the storage 230, the communication unit 240, and the control unit 250may be program modules to communicate with at least one of the multipledevices 310, 320. The program modules may be included in the matchingsystem 200 in the form of operating systems, application program modulesor other program modules, while they may be physically stored on avariety of commonly known storage devices. Further, the program modulesmay also be stored in a remote storage device that may communicate withthe matching system 200. Meanwhile, such program modules may include,but not limited to, routines, subroutines, programs, objects,components, data structures and the like for performing specific tasksor executing specific abstract data types as will be described below inaccordance with the disclosure. Particularly, the matching system 200may function to mediate so that via the communication network 100, oneof the devices 310, 320 may transmit information or a control command tothe other, or the one may receive information or a control command fromthe other.

To this end, as will be described in detail below, the matching system200 may receive one type of temporary or non-temporary characteristicinformation on a first device 310 from the first device 310 and receiveanother type of temporary or non-temporary characteristic information onthe first device 310 from a second device 320, and then may compare orcollate the pieces of the information to recognize that the first device310 and the second device 320 have an association (e.g., indicating thatthey belong to the same user, they function for the sake of the sameuser, they are located substantially close to each other, or one of themis competent to authenticate or permit the other). (Hereinafter, suchrecognition itself, or formation of a connection between the devices310, 320 according to the recognition, is mainly referred to as“matching” for convenience.) The matching may be permanent, but maypreferably be maintained only for a predetermined time period and thenreleased.

The matching may be performed by the matching unit 210 included in thematching system 200. The matching unit 210 may reside in the matchingsystem 200 in the form of a program module as described above.

Further, the matching system 200 may further function to storeinformation provided from at least one of the devices 310, 320 and allowthe information to be used by at least one of the devices 310, 320 or byanother third device (not shown). The storing may be performed by thestorage 230 included in the matching system 200. The storage 230encompasses a computer-readable recording medium, and may refer not onlyto a database in a narrow sense but also to a database in a broad senseincluding file system-based data records and the like.

Meanwhile, the communication unit 240 in the matching system 200 mayfunction to enable data transmission/receipt to/from the matching unit210 and the storage 230.

Further, the control unit 250 in the matching system 200 may function tocontrol data flow among the matching unit 210, the storage 230, and thecommunication unit 240. That is, the control unit 250 according to thedisclosure may control data flow into/out of the matching system 200 ordata flow among the respective components of the matching system 200,such that the matching unit 210, the storage 230, and the communicationunit 240 may carry out their particular functions, respectively.

The function of the matching system 200 will be discussed in more detailbelow. Meanwhile, although the matching system 200 has been described asabove, the above description is illustrative and it is apparent to thoseskilled in the art that at least some of the functions or componentsrequired for the matching system 200 may be implemented or included inanother third device, and even in at least one of the devices 310, 320to be matched, as necessary.

Lastly, the multiple devices 310, 320 according to one embodiment of thedisclosure are digital equipment that may function to connect to andthen communicate with the matching system 200, a counterpart of themultiple devices 310, 320 (which may preferably be separated orexternalized from each other), or another third device, and any type ofdigital equipment having memory means 312, 322 and microprocessors 314,324 for computing capabilities may be adopted as the devices 310, 320according to the disclosure. The devices 310, 320 may be so-called smartdevices such as a smart phone, a smart pad, a smart glass, a smartwatch, a smart band, and a smart ring, or may be somewhat traditionaldevices such as a desktop computer, a notebook computer, a workstation,a personal digital assistant (PDA), a web pad, a mobile phone, buttons,a mouse, a keyboard, and an electronic pen. Meanwhile, the devices 310,320 may further include technical means (not shown) and programcircuitry 316, 326 to be described below. In connection with theschematic configurations of the devices 310, 320 according to oneembodiment of the disclosure, further reference may be made to FIGS. 6Aand 6B, respectively.

The devices 310, 320 may include at least one technical means forcalculating a physical value regarding a behavior of a user of thedevices or a temporary or non-temporary attribute thereof. Examples ofthe technical means may include commonly known components such as amotion sensor, an acceleration sensor, a positioning sensor like a gyrosensor, a magnetic sensor, a camera, a touch panel, a pointing tool(e.g., a mouse, a stylus, an electronic pen, etc.), a graphical objectoperable by the user, and a positioning module (a GPS module, abeacon-based positioning (position identification) module, etc.)

Further, the devices 310, 320 may further include an application programfor processing the above physical value to transmit information or acontrol command to another device (310, 320, or the like), to receiveinformation or a control command from another device (310, 320, or thelike), or to generate the information or control command. Theapplication may reside in the corresponding devices 310, 320 in the formof program modules. The program circuitry 316, 326 operates or executesthe program modules in communication with the microprocessor 314. Thenature of the program modules may be generally similar to that of theaforementioned matching unit 210 of the matching system 200.

Meanwhile, when the matching is made between the devices 310, 320, theapplication may control the devices 310, 320 to make some response sothat a user may notice the matching. For example, the devices 310, 320may provide the user with a visual, aural, or tactual response. Theresponse may be, for example, displaying of a matching report message,emitting of a clear matching report sound, a matching report vibrationthat may be sensed in a hand, or the like.

Meanwhile, at least a part of the application may be replaced with ahardware or firmware device that may perform a substantially equal orequivalent function, as necessary.

The function of the application will be discussed in detail below.

Matching Methods

Hereinafter, specific examples of methods for matching the multipledevices 310, 320 according to various embodiments of the disclosure willbe discussed in detail.

First Embodiment

According to the present embodiment, the first device 310 and the seconddevice 320 may be matched on the basis of a motion of the first device310 identified in the first device 310 and a motion of the first device310 identified by the second device 320, or a motion of a body part orthe like of a user of the first device 310 interworking with the firstdevice 310. Preferably, the first device 310 may be a device such as asmart phone and a smart watch, which is frequently carried by the user,and in many cases, is considered to be suitable to store and processimportant information of the user.

First, it is assumed that the user has moved the first device 310. Inthis case, the first device 310 may calculate a physical value regardingits motion by means of at least one of a motion sensor, an accelerationsensor, a gyro sensor, a magnetic sensor and the like, which may beembedded therein. Next, on the basis of the calculated physical value,an application (not shown) of the first device 310 may determine atrajectory of the motion of the first device 310 in the form of a set ofpoints in a three-dimensional coordinate system, a set of points in atwo-dimensional coordinate system obtained by projecting the formerpoints onto a plane, or a set obtained by scaling or normalizing theformer sets. The determined trajectory may include at least one singularpoint. The singular point may be a point at a specific time (e.g., apeak point for a specific coordinate axis), which represents a drasticmotion change on the trajectory. The application of the first device 310may determine two or more singular points, and also a time intervalbetween the singular points. The application of the first device 310 mayaccordingly determine highly characteristic information on the motion ofthe first device 310. (This characteristic information may be referredto as characteristic information from a perspective of the first device310.) The characteristic information on the motion of the first device310 may be provided to the matching system 200. Further, thecharacteristic information may be provided from the first device 310 tothe second device 320, by means of the matching system 200 or not.

Meanwhile, although it has been described that the present embodimentmay achieve the matching (to be described below) on the basis of thecharacteristic information on the motion of the first device 310, it isapparent to those skilled in the art that the matching may also beachieved on the basis of acceleration characteristics (e.g., a set ofaccelerations per time period) according to the motion of the firstdevice 310. Meanwhile, it is to be understood that the characteristicsof a motion herein do not only encompass the characteristics of adisplacement or the like, but also encompass, in a broad sense, those ofan acceleration being a second order derivative of the motion.

Hereinafter, it will be discussed how the matching is achieved betweenthe first device 310 and the second device 320 on the basis of thecharacteristic information on the motion of the first device 310.

(1) The Case in which the Second Device 320 Observes the First Device310

It is assumed that the second device 320 includes or communicates with acamera to observe and photograph the aforementioned motion of the firstdevice 310. An application (not shown) of the second device 320 maycalculate a corresponding pixel flow from a series of photographedimages of the first device 310 (or a body part of the corresponding userinterworking with the first device 310) to determine a trajectory of themotion of the first device 310, and singular points thereof. Therefore,the second device 320 may independently determine characteristicinformation on the motion of the first device 310. (This characteristicinformation, and similar information to be described below, may bereferred to as characteristic information from a perspective of thesecond device 320.) The determined information may also be provided tothe matching system 200, or may be provided to the first device 310, ifnecessary.

The matching system 200, the first device 310, or the second device 320may match the first device 310 and the second device 320 on the basis ofthe pieces of the characteristic information on the motion of the firstdevice 310, and may accordingly notify the matching to at least one ofthe first device 310 and the second device 320.

At least one of the first device 310 and the second device 320 mayperform various processes on the basis of the matching. For example, itis enabled that information (e.g. a computer file) is transmitted orreceived between the devices 310, 320, or that one of the devices 310,320 or the user thereof performs a specific process for the sake of theother of the devices 310, 320 or the user thereof (e.g., an electronicgate (not shown) interworking with the second device 320 is opened forthe sake of the user of the first device 310.) In the above example,identification information (e.g., a device serial number, a PIN number,a telephone number, etc.) of the first device 310, which may bepreviously registered in the second device 320, may be furtherconsulted.

(2) The Case in which the Second Device 320 Directly Receives an InputAssociated with a Gesture of a User of the First Device 310

It is assumed that the first device 310 may identify a gesture of a bodypart (e.g., right wrist) of a user thereof, like a smart watch or asmart band, and that the second device 320 includes or at leastcommunicates with a touch panel for receiving a touch input associatedwith the above gesture of the user of the first device 310, a pointingtool (e.g., a mouse, a stylus, an electronic pen, etc.) for sensing amotion associated with the above gesture of the user of the first device310, or other input tools (e.g. buttons, a keyboard, etc.)

The characteristic information on the motion of the first device 310 maybe determined according to the gesture of the user of the first device310 as described above. Further, the application of the second device320 may determine characteristic information on a touch input associatedwith the gesture, a motion input of a pointing tool, or a press input ofother input tools (i.e., motion characteristic information). Thedetermined information may also be provided to the matching system 200,or may be provided to the first device 310, if necessary.

The matching system 200, the first device 310, or the second device 320may match the first device 310 and the second device 320 on the basis ofthe characteristic information on the motion of the first device 310 andthe characteristic information on the input to the second device 320,and may accordingly notify the matching to at least one of the firstdevice 310 and the second device 320.

Meanwhile, if the first device 310 may be relatively freely worn ondifferent body parts (e.g., wrists, forearms, etc.) of the user, thematching may be made after correcting the characteristic information onthe motion of the first device 310 (e.g., the above-described trajectoryof the motion of the first device 310). For example, if a smart watch isworn on a forearm instead of a wrist, the correction may includeincreasing only the length of the vector of each point of the trajectoryin a three or two dimensional coordinate system in equal proportion,with the direction thereof being maintained, to compensate for thereduced size of the trajectory, which can also be considered as a kindof the aforementioned normalization. The above trajectory compensationmay also be useful when the smart watch is worn on the wrist withdifferent strap tightness due to a sleeve or the like. The trajectorycompensation may also be useful in the embodiment of the case (3) to bedescribed below.

At least one of the first device 310 and the second device 320 mayperform various processes on the basis of the matching. For example, ifthe user of the first device 310 inputs a unique signature or anotherpattern to a touch panel of the second device 320, or draws a uniquesignature or another pattern with a pointing tool of the second device320, with the first device 310 worn on the right wrist (ifright-handed), then the second device 320 may employ the above signatureor pattern and identification information (e.g., a device serial number,a PIN number, a telephone number, etc.) of the first device 310, whichmay be previously registered in the second device 320, as a key toperform authentication for permitting the user of the first device 310to use the second device 320 only when the user inputs a correctsignature or pattern with the first device 310 worn on the right wrist.

FIG. 2 is a view of a test in which singular points are calculated whena specific signature is inputted to the second device 320, which may beconsulted in connection with the present embodiment. Further, FIG. 3 isa view of a test in which singular points are calculated when a specificpattern is inputted to the second device 320, which may be consulted inconnection with the present embodiment.

Meanwhile, although it has been mainly described above that the gestureof the user of the first device 310 is on the basis of the user'spositive intention, the gesture may also naturally occur while the usermakes a touch input to the second device 320. Further reference will bemade to FIG. 7.

FIG. 7 is a view showing that a user wearing the first device 310 on aleft wrist (if right-handed) touches the second device 320 held in aleft hand with a right hand, according to one embodiment of thedisclosure. In the case of FIG. 7, although the gesture of the user forthe first device 310 (i.e., wrist shaking) is actually a passive onecaused by the user's touch input to the second device 320, the matchingmay also be made in this case because the first device 310 and thesecond device 320 are eventually put in similar motion.

(3) The Case in which an Operation Associated with a Gesture of a Userof the First Device 310 is Performed on the Second Device 320

According to one embodiment of the disclosure, it is assumed that thefirst device 310 may identify a gesture of a body part (e.g., rightwrist) of a user thereof, like a smart watch or a smart band, and thatan operation on a graphical object (e.g., an unlock bar that can be slidto unlock, an icon of a specific file or application program, etc.)associated with the above gesture of the user of the first device 310 isperformed on the second device 320.

The characteristic information on the motion of the first device 310 maybe determined according to the gesture of the user of the first device310 as described above. Further, the application of the second device320 may determine characteristic information on the operation on thegraphical object associated with the gesture (i.e., motioncharacteristic information). The determined information may also beprovided to the matching system 200, or may be provided to the firstdevice 310, if necessary.

The matching system 200, the first device 310, or the second device 320may match the first device 310 and the second device 320 on the basis ofthe characteristic information on the motion of the first device 310 andthe characteristic information on the operation on the second device320, and may accordingly notify the matching to at least one of thefirst device 310 and the second device 320.

At least one of the first device 310 and the second device 320 mayperform various processes on the basis of the matching. For example, ifthe user of the first device 310 performs an operation of sliding anunlock bar of the second device 320, with the first device 310 worn onthe right wrist (if right-handed), then the second device 320 may employthe gesture of the above operation and identification information (e.g.,a device serial number, a PIN number, a telephone number, etc.) of thefirst device 310, which may be previously registered in the seconddevice 320, as a key to perform authentication for permitting the userof the first device 310 to unlock the second device 320 only when theuser performs a correct operation with the first device 310 worn on theright wrist.

Further, at least one of the first device 310 and the second device 320may also perform another process on the basis of the matching. Forexample, if the user of the first device 310 performs an operation of(quickly) dragging an icon of a specific file of the second device 320on a screen thereof, with the first device 310 worn on the right wrist(if right-handed), then the second device 320 may employ the gesture ofthe above operation and identification information (e.g., a deviceserial number, a PIN number, a telephone number, etc.) of the firstdevice 310, which may be previously registered in the second device 320,as a key to allow the file to be transferred from the second device 320and stored in an account of a cloud server (not shown), which may bepreviously registered for the user of the first device 310, only whenthe user performs a proper operation with the first device 310 worn onthe right wrist. In this case, the file may be first stored in thematching system 200 and then stored in the cloud server.

According to another embodiment of the disclosure, it is assumed thatthe first device 310 may identify a gesture of a body part (e.g., rightwrist) of a user thereof, like a smart watch or a smart band, and thatan action or operation associated with the above gesture of the user ofthe first device 310 is performed for a specific application program(e.g., a web browser or a mobile game) running on the second device 320.

The characteristic information on the motion of the first device 310 maybe determined according to the gesture of the user of the first device310 as described above. Further, the application running on the seconddevice 320 may determine characteristic information on the action oroperation therefor associated with the gesture (i.e., motioncharacteristic information). For example, if the gesture of the user ofthe first device 310 is a touch action for (a graphical object of) theapplication running on the second device 320 (preferably, an actionincluding sweep, an action including several taps, or other actionhaving some pattern), the application may sense the touch action andthen determine the characteristic information thereon. The determinedinformation may also be provided to the matching system 200, or may beprovided to the first device 310, if necessary.

The matching system 200, the first device 310, or the second device 320may match the first device 310 and the second device 320 on the basis ofthe characteristic information on the motion of the first device 310 andthe characteristic information on the action or operation for theapplication running on the second device 320, and may accordingly notifythe matching to at least one of the first device 310 and the seconddevice 320.

At least one of the first device 310 and the second device 320 mayperform various processes on the basis of the matching. For example, ifthe user of the first device 310 performs a touch action for a webbrowser (displaying a portal site for which the user has signed up)running on the second device 320, with the first device 310 worn on thewrist, then the second device 320 may employ the gesture of the abovetouch action and login information for the portal site of the user ofthe first device 310, which may be previously registered in the firstdevice 310, as a key to allow the user to login to the portal sitewithout requiring additional actions.

In connection with the above embodiment, reference may be made to FIG.8, which is a view showing a situation in which the user of the firstdevice 310 performs a touch action for the web browser running on thesecond device 320 so as to conveniently login to the portal sitedisplayed in the web browser.

(4) The Case in which the Second Device 320 Measures a Location of theFirst Device 310

It is assumed that the first device 310 may identify a location thereofand the second device 320 may accurately measure the location of thefirst device 310 by means of multiple (preferably three or more) beaconsor the like.

As the location of the first device 310 is changed, characteristicinformation on the location change of the first device 310 may bedetermined according to the above-described principles or the like.Further, the application of the second device 320 may independentlydetermine characteristic information on the location change of the firstdevice 310 (i.e., motion characteristic information). The determinedinformation may also be provided to the matching system 200, or may beprovided to the first device 310, if necessary.

The matching system 200, the first device 310, or the second device 320may match the first device 310 and the second device 320 on the basis ofthe pieces of the characteristic information on the location change ofthe first device 310, and may accordingly notify the matching to atleast one of the first device 310 and the second device 320.

At least one of the first device 310 and the second device 320 mayperform various processes on the basis of the matching. For example, itis enabled that information (e.g. a computer file) is transmitted orreceived between the devices 310, 320, or that one of the devices 310,320 or the user thereof performs a specific process for the sake of theother of the devices 310, 320 or the user thereof (e.g., an elevator(not shown) interworking with the second device 320 is requested for thesake of the user of the first device 310, and then the elevator isautomatically requested to ascend or descend to a floor frequentlyvisited by the user of the first device 310.)

Second Embodiment

According to the present embodiment, the first device 310 and the seconddevice 320 may be matched with each other on the basis of a motion ofthe first device 310 identified by a camera of the first device 310 anda motion of the first device 310 identified by a camera of the seconddevice 320. Preferably, the first device 310 may be a device such as asmart phone, which is frequently carried by a user, and in many cases,is considered to be suitable to store and process important informationof the user.

It is assumed that the user has moved the first device 310. In thiscase, the camera of the first device 310 may photograph a specificobject (not shown) (e.g., the face of the user of the first device 310)while it is moved, and generate a series of images. Accordingly, anapplication of the first device 310 may calculate a corresponding pixelflow from the series of images to determine a trajectory of the movementof the first device 310, and singular points thereof. Therefore, theapplication of the first device 310 may determine characteristicinformation on the movement of the first device 310.

Meanwhile, the camera of the second device 320 may photograph none otherthan the first device 310 while the first device 310 is moved as above,and generate another series of images. Therefore, an application of thesecond device 320 may calculate a corresponding pixel flow from theother series of images to independently determine characteristicinformation on the movement of the first device 310.

The two pieces of the determined information may be provided to thematching system 200, or may be provided to the first device 310 or thesecond device 320, if necessary.

The matching system 200, the first device 310, or the second device 320may match the first device 310 and the second device 320 on the basis ofthe pieces of the characteristic information on the movement of thefirst device 310, and may accordingly notify the matching to at leastone of the first device 310 and the second device 320.

At least one of the first device 310 and the second device 320 mayperform various processes on the basis of the matching. For example, itis enabled that information (e.g. a computer file) is transmitted orreceived between the devices 310, 320, or that one of the devices 310,320 or the user thereof performs a specific process for the sake of theother of the devices 310, 320 or the user thereof (e.g., an electronicgate interworking with the second device 320 is opened for the sake ofthe user of the first device 310.)

Meanwhile, although it has been mainly described herein that varioustypes of characteristic information on the devices 310, 320 aredetermined on the basis of various types of trajectories and singularpoints resulting from a motion of the first device 310, the basisinformation may be adopted with reference to prior art withoutlimitation, as long as it is caused by the motion of the first device310. For example, the basis information may be property information of awave in a coordinate system or a coordinate axis, which is identified inthe first device 310 or the second device 320 according to the motion ofthe first device 310. Examples of the types of the property informationinclude the following:

-   -   Types of the property information of the wave in time domain:        maximum amplitude, average amplitude, average frequency, mean,        standard deviation, standard deviation normalized by overall        amplitude, variance, skewness, kurtosis, sum, absolute sum, root        mean square (RMS), crest factor, dispersion, entropy, power sum,        center of mass, coefficients of variation, cross correlation,        zero-crossings, seasonality, DC bias, or the above properties        computed for a first, second, third or higher order derivative        of the wave; and    -   Types of the property information of the wave in frequency        domain: spectral centroid, spectral density, spherical        harmonics, total average spectral energy, band energy ratios for        every octave, log spectral band ratios, linear prediction-based        cepstral coefficients (LPCCs), perceptual linear prediction        (PLP) cepstral coefficients, mel-frequency cepstral        coefficients, frequency topology, or the above properties        computed for a first, second, third or higher order derivative        of a frequency domain representation of the wave.

Meanwhile, although it has been illustratively described herein that theapplication of the first device 310 or the application of the seconddevice 320 determines various types of characteristic informationaccording to the motion of the first device 310, it is apparent that atleast a part of the determination of the characteristic information mayalso be performed by the matching system 200, which may perform thematching according to the disclosure.

Third Embodiment

A variety of matching methods have been described in connection with thefirst and second embodiments. The matching is basically made when anassociation, which is diverse as described above, is recognized betweenthe first device 310 and the second device 320. The required degree ofassociation may be adaptively changed as necessary.

That is, the matching system 200, the first device 310, or the seconddevice 320 may adjust (alleviate) the degree of association required forthe matching, with respect to the characteristic information on a motionof the first device 310 determined by the first device 310 and thecharacteristic information on the motion of the first device 310determined by the second device 320. The alleviation may be performed onthe basis of (i) a history indicating that the first device 310 and thesecond device 320 have been matched before, (ii) a proof that the firstdevice 310 and the second device 320 have been used or are owned by thesame user (e.g., travel route information, owner information or the likeof the devices), or (iii) the fact that the first device 310 and thesecond device 320 use the same communication network 100 (e.g., the sameWi-Fi access point (AP)).

In the same principle, such alleviation may also be applied in requiringan association between the characteristic information on a motion of thefirst device 310, which is determined by the first device 310, and thecharacteristic information on an input to the second device 320according to the motion of the first device 310, an operation on thesecond device 320 according to the motion of the first device 310, or alocation change of the first device 310 caused by the motion of thefirst device 310, which is determined by the second device 320.

Specifically, the alleviation may preferably be implemented in a mannerof recognizing an association, for example, even if the two devices 310,320 exhibit the association for fewer times or for a shorter timeperiod, or even if a signature or pattern is partially inputted.

The Case in which Three or More Devices are Matched

As described above, the matching according to the disclosure isbasically made between one first device 310 and one second device 320.However, the present disclosure may also be very useful when multipledevices act as different first devices 310 in relation to the seconddevice 320, respectively.

FIG. 9 is a view showing that two first devices 310, 310′ arerespectively matched with one second device 320 according to oneembodiment of the disclosure. That is, when it is determined thatmultiple first devices 310, 310′ are matched with the second device 320,the second device 320 may provide different types of user experiencewith respect to the input of each of the matched counterparts. Thedifferent types of user experience may be different forms of touch tracelines as shown, but may also be different sound responses or tactualresponses.

Meanwhile, when the first device 310 and the second device 320 arematched and paired with each other, there may be another third devicethat is matched only with one of them. In this case, the other of thepair of the devices 310, 320 may be automatically matched with the thirddevice. The above-described association may not be necessarily requiredfor the automatic matching.

The automatic matching may be useful in the following cases, forexample. It is assumed that the first device 310 is a smart watch, thesecond device 320 is a smart pad, and the third device (not shown) is asmart glass including a camera. In this case, the first device 310 andthe second device 320 may be matched with each other as a user wearingthe first device 310 on a right wrist (if right-handed) makes a gestureof sliding a graphical object for slide-to-unlock of the second device320 with a right hand to unlock the second device 320. Here, when theabove matching is made, the third device may observe a motion of thefirst device 310 according to the above gesture of the user so that itmay be separately matched with the first device 310. In this case, thesecond device 320 and the third device may be automatically matched onthe ground that they are respectively matched with the first device 310,even if no particular association is recognized between them.

Main Steps of the Matching Methods

As described above, the matching methods of the disclosure may beimplemented with various embodiments. Referring to FIG. 4, the mainsteps of the matching methods, which may be common to those embodiments,will be discussed. FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the main steps of amatching method according to one embodiment of the disclosure.

In step S-1, an application of the first device 310 may determinecharacteristic information on a motion of the first device 310.

Further, in step S-1′, an application of the second device 320 maydetermine characteristic information on the motion of the first device310, an input according to the motion of the first device 310, anoperation according to the motion of the first device 310, or a locationchange caused by the motion of the first device 310 (i.e.,characteristic information on at least one of the above four events).

Here, any one of step S-1 and step S-1′ may precede the other, or bothmay be performed at the same time.

Next, in step S-2, the matching system 200 may compare or collate thetwo pieces of the characteristic information to match the first device310 and the second device 320.

Next, in step S-3, the matching system 200 may notify the matching tothe first device 310 or the second device 320.

Lastly, in step S-4, among the first device 310 and the second device320, the one notified of the matching from the matching system 200 mayperform a predetermined process.

The embodiments according to the disclosure as described above may beimplemented in the form of program instructions that can be executed byvarious computer components, and may be stored on a computer-readablerecording medium. The computer-readable recording medium may includeprogram instructions, data files, data structures and the like,separately or in combination. The program instructions stored on thecomputer-readable recording medium may be specially designed andconfigured for the present disclosure, or may also be known andavailable to those skilled in the computer software field. Examples ofthe computer-readable recording medium include the following: magneticmedia such as hard disks, floppy disks and magnetic tapes; optical mediasuch as compact disk-read only memory (CD-ROM) and digital versatiledisks (DVDs); magneto-optical media such as floptical disks; andhardware devices such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory(RAM) and flash memory, which are specially configured to store andexecute program instructions. Examples of the program instructionsinclude not only machine language codes created by a compiler or thelike, but also high-level language codes that can be executed by acomputer using an interpreter or the like. The above hardware devicesmay be changed to one or more software modules to perform the processesof the present disclosure, and vice versa.

Although the present disclosure has been described in terms of specificitems such as detailed elements as well as the limited embodiments andthe drawings, they are only provided to help more general understandingof the disclosure, and the present disclosure is not limited to theabove embodiments. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art towhich the present disclosure pertains that various modifications andchanges may be made from the above description.

Therefore, the spirit of the present disclosure shall not be limited tothe above-described embodiments, and the entire scope of the appendedclaims and their equivalents will fall within the scope and spirit ofthe disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for matching a plurality of devices.